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I wonder if he knew the stories beneath his canvas, this quietly non-communicative young man wedged halfway down Ferry Lane. Was he aware that the first death from Bubonic Plague early in 1900 was one, Arthur Payne, of No. 10 Ferry Lane? That the poor souls of Ferry Lane, and Windmill Street, and Pottinger Street who had nothing to begin with, had even less after the rat catchers, and the fumigators, and the council inspectors had decimated the suburb.
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The lane is gentrified now. Arthur's house is memorialised. 'The Paddock' is filled with slides, and swings, and climbing frames. The air resounds with accents from afar. The middle-class pick their way gingerly down the flagged lanes, eager to be at their seat before the curtain rises to reveal Her Cate-ness or His Geoffrey-ness.
And for Arthur, perhaps a pauper's grave at the Quarantine Station out on windswept North Head, in Cemetery No. 3. With too many of the 102 other victims. Away from society's sensibilities. And as our heels clatter on the flagstones that tumble down uneven Ferry Lane, the memory of Arthur's era dims ...
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This is my contribution to the City Daily Photo Blog Monthly Theme Day. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants |
25 comments:
These are beautiful Julie. Lovely post.
i had no idea all this happened in Sydney. Someting I usually associate with the Northern hemisphere
I like these small alleys very much. I hope there will be more wonderful cobblestony places all over the world.
What lovely cobblestones and what great story telling. History is so fascinating and we ignore it most of the time, taking in perhaps the ambience of the history of the place we are at but not the stories that tell of the powerplay, poverty, pain and prejudice that co-existed there.
Old cobblestones in a sloping street, I am amazed by their presence
There is something very beautiful and calming about old cobblestones. They show wear that is the result of many years of passing feet.
Must be a joy to hear ones step while walking upon.
Please have a good new month ahead.
fantastic photos Julie; I love the places you venture seemingly away from the mainstream
Beautiful photographs and interesting story well told as always from you!
Cheers and a thank you for facilitating this Theme day!
I love the way you come up with an interesting snippet of history with your photos. "clatter of heals on the cobblestones" I like that phrase but I bet you had sneakers on.
Hushpuppies ...
I like the woman disappearing into the distance in the bottom one. Nice shots and narrative, Julie.
you evoke camus and pears with this post. excellent contribution to the theme.
It's a beautiful laneway.
Interesting write-up and some nice cobblestones here.
I tried in vain to find some cobblestones here...
as wonderful as these cobbles look, I am grateful for our level roads!
Thank you for the history, Julie. What photos. What a story.
I loved everything about this post Julie, the artist in the laneway, the old print so fascinating to see and wordage to drool over, what hard times they had back then. You've done Australia proud with this entry for the CDP theme.
Just love these old cobblestones. Truly we could be in France, it seems to me. And I bet they are as slippery as they are here on a wet day! Adore your writing... her Cate-ness. Brilliant!
And thanks so much for creating the Linky for Theme Day, Julie. I know this is so much appreciated by us all.
Excellent choice. Congratulations and thank you very much for the alternative blog.
Wonderful weathered stones Julie ... Love the ambiance in this capture .... a lane that's going somewhere.
Love this last image with the artist and the woman and the slope of the street. Thanks, also, for the theme day Linky!
I love your photos (and your blog). Thank you again Julie about the CDPB link for this theme day and the way to keep all in touch !
Through verse and photo, your imagery is always tops, Julie!
It's not surprising who it was to the rescue in saving the theme day at CDP. Many thanks to you for that monumental task!
I love this lane! Both perspectives are great, Julie.
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